Update 2017-04-05: Thanks to some help from rog in the comments, I discovered there is a way to do this using group policy! 😀 To set this using group policy, go to Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Update\ and configure the Configure Automatic Updates setting. In this setting there is a checkbox to set the Install updates for other Microsoft products setting. I will note, however, that this setting is not available in the local group policy editor for Windows 7, so I’m not sure if this setting would correctly apply to a Windows 7 machine. It’s definitely available on a Windows 10 1607 machine, though. Thanks for the help on this one, rog!

With Windows 10 out, we have been investigating how we can better deploy and manage Windows computers. Previously have deployed our images using an SCCM server, and then managed updates using WSUS integrated with SCCM, but Windows 10 brings a new update method, Windows Update for Business.

However, have you ever seen a checkbox with this label in your updates settings: Give me updates for other Microsoft products when I update Windows. How do you set this?

My first thought was to set this from group policy. Since this is how you set the Windows Update for Business settings, this would be the correct way to set the update method for other Microsoft products, right? So I have a look through the Windows Update, but can’t find the setting. I also do a little searching online, but all I can find is This Question on Microsoft’s forum. Here, JuliusPIV is asking the exact question I have.

So what’s the solution JuliusPIV found? This Microsoft page, Opt-In to Microsoft Update where Microsoft describes how to set enable it. Fixed, right?

There are two issues with this solution:

It uses VBScript. I hate VB

It doesn’t have any way to turn the setting back off again, or detect whether it is on or off

So I worked out how to do it in Powershell, and added a few extra options.

9 Replies to “How to Opt-In and Detect to Microsoft Update for other Microsoft products using Powershell”

Not sure if this was added with the 1607 anniversary update, but there is an “Install updates for other Microsoft products” checkbox in Group Policy option under “Configure Automatic Updates” now at Computer Configuration>Administrative Templates>Windows Components>Windows Update

Hi rog, thank heaps for this comment. You are 100% correct, this setting is now configurable through group policy. I wasn’t able to see it the other day when I checked, because I was on a Windows 7 machine, looking in the local group policy editor. However, I have confirmed it is available in Windows 10 as you mentioned.

I have updated the article with the group policy method of setting it.

I recently download and populated Windows 10 1709 ADMX templates into the central store and enabled “Install updates for other Microsoft products”. Even after doing gpupdate on servers (2016, 2012R2, etc) and gpupdate /force, the option is not applying.

When running RSOP.msc, it shows the setting is applied without issue from the correct GPO, however, Windows update does not show the option selected nor do Microsoft updates show.

You should now be able to run it using the line:
powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File C:\Configure-UpdateMSProducts.ps1 -RunType InstallService

I’ve noticed sometimes when executing the script there is some delay in the tick-box being enabled in the settings app. I wonder if the Windows Update client is actually trying to connect to the server before changing the setting.